Participate

St. Paul’s Cathedral offers many opportunities for you feel like part of a loving community – everyone has something to offer, and is valued. We have all been blessed with talents, means and skills to help others in some way, and these, combined with curiosity, willing spirits, and generous hearts, can change the world. Beneficial side-effects of sharing the gifts God gave you may include:

Meeting new friends, Deepening your personal faith journey, Helping those in need, Enjoying times of fellowship, Making an impact in your community, or Developing a sense of purpose.

We invite you to explore the many activities and groups listed here. Perhaps one or some of them will inspire you; all of them offer opportunities for you to participate.

Service Times

Sunday Mornings

8:00 am - Holy Eucharist

10:00 am - Holy Eucharist with Children's Program

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

8:45 am - Morning Prayer

Wednesdays

12:15 pm - Holy Eucharist

7:30 pm - Holy Eucharist

12:00 - 12:15 pm - Litany of Reconciliation

Third Sunday of each month

4:00 pm - Choral Evensong

Worship

Christian Growth

Cathedral Life

Community Outreach

Operations

Giving & Donations

Worship

Alongsiders

Members of the Alongsiders group contribute to the St. Paul’s community and the world at large through daily prayer. Do you have a rich prayer life already, or would you like to make prayer a more active part of your faith? Are you too busy to come to church sometimes, or shut-in due to commitments or health issues? Your prayers for others and the world are always appreciated. Members receive a prayer calendar with requests for prayers for each day, as well as a bible verse. These serve as starting points for your time of prayer and reflection, and can help lead to a deepening of faith.

Altar Guild

Sacred vessels, the bread and the wine, linens and hangings, candles and torches, flowers and special or seasonal decorations: these beautiful components and embellishments of our worship are maintained by a dedicated team of volunteers at St. Paul’s. Every service is set up in advance, including weddings, funerals, ordinations and all other special events held in the Cathedral. If you have an eye for beauty and a deep appreciation for the Liturgy, you may wish to be a part of this essential group.

Altar Servers

It is a truly rewarding and spiritual experience to assist as an Altar Server at the Holy Eucharist, as well as at Diocesan events, weddings, funerals and other special services. An Altar Server’s primary role is to assist the priest in the celebration of the liturgy, through specific actions and by setting an example to the congregation by active participation. Training is provided and the schedule is flexible to meet your own personal schedule.

Bell Ringers

If you can play the piano, read music, and climb two flights of steep stairs, you have the tools required to “play” the bells in St. Paul’s tower. Made up of 11 bells—C4 to D5, plus F sharp and B flat—these bells are played by means of a carillon console (i.e. wooden levers serve as keys). The carillon console in the first-floor tower room and the bells are played before and after Sunday services as well as for special weekday services, ringing out over downtown London.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Allen care of the Church Office.

In Memorium Altar Flowers

Flowers are a beautiful addition to worship services, and are also a fitting tribute to the memory of loved ones as they are symbolic of God’s promise of eternal life. Each week (except during Lent) new bouquets are sponsored by members of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The blooms adorn the altar during worship, and then they are divided into smaller posies and hand-delivered to parishioners who are shut-in or unwell, bringing a bit of cheer into their homes along with prayers for their well-being.

If you would like to donate flowers as a part of this ministry, please speak with Audrey Smith care of the Church Office.

Intercessors

During times of worship at St. Paul’s, the sick and others in need of spiritual support are remembered. Members of the congregation take turns leading prayers – they are the “Prayers of the People”, not of the clergy or leadership of the Cathedral. If you have a rich prayer life, or would like to take on a new challenge, you can volunteer to compose and lead the intercessions, which is the act of praying on behalf of others. Working under the guidance of The Reverend Deacon Pat Henderson, volunteers are provided with prayer suggestions, references and also the first names of those who have asked to be remembered in prayer each week.

Lay Administrants

Do you feel a calling to participate more closely during the Eucharist? You may be interested in serving as a Lay Administrant. This group of parishioners is authorized to assist in the distribution of Holy Communion at St. Paul’s Cathedral. As parishioners continue to kneel or stand after upon receiving the Host—the Body of Christ—the Lay Administrants then offer the Cup to all those who have approached the altar rail, saying “The Blood of Christ.”

If you are interested in participating in the holy sacrament of Eucharist in this manner, please contact The Reverend Deacon Pat Henderson, or call her at (519) 434-3225 x215. Alternatively, you may contact her through the Church Office.

Music

London’s Tuesday Noon Hour Organ Recital Series
Our organ recitals, which have been running since 1995, are concerts that showcase music specially written for the organ, or for organ and solo instrument. Be inspired by the power and overwhelming beauty of our historic cathedral organ by joining us for a recital on Tuesdays at 12:15pm from September to July. These are free and open to the public. For a list of recitalists, click here.The organ specification may be viewed/downloaded here.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

A warm embrace during times of great sadness or illness can make all the difference... A prayer shawl is a special kind of embrace – shawls are knitted or crocheted while the craftsperson prays for the health and well-being of the ultimate recipient, working mindfully to create an item that will impart physical warmth but also remind the recipient that they are loved and remembered. If you know how to knit or crochet, or would like to learn, your skills and prayerful participation would make a huge impact on someone’s life.

For more information, or to request a shawl on behalf of a loved one, please contact Heather Clark via the Church Office.

Readers

A reverence for the word of God and a calling to share it with a strong voice may lead you to this ministry. Proclaiming scripture during worship services is more than just reading aloud—you are telling the good news and making these words ever new, bringing them to the ears of listeners and fostering a dialogue between God and God’s people. Thoughtful preparation is required, as is a commitment to the date assigned (or, ample notice given so that a substitute may adequately prepare in your place).

If you would like to explore this opportunity to deepen your appreciation for the bible and the liturgy, please email The Reverend Deacon Pat Henderson​or call her at (519) 434-3225 x215. Alternatively, you may contact her through the Church Office.

Christian Growth

Bible Study

Participating in Bible Study is a wonderful way to deepen your faith and also make new friends. Attendees share their perspectives in faith, and the impact of the Word accompanies them as they take the spirit of the meetings out into the world.

Children & Youth Ministries

Sharing your time and talents with the Children and Youth of St. Paul’s is a fun way to deepen your own faith experience and those of others. Teaching classes, supervising or even supporting special events for the young in our community is a vital ministry, and also a richly rewarding one. See and hear the Word of God through the eyes of our Children and Youth. Let their energy and excitement for the Spirit rejuvenate your relationship with God.

Please contact the Children's Ministries Co-ordinator, Heather Clark, (519) 434-3225 x201, to find out how you can become involved.

Natural Church Development

The Cathedral embarked on Natural Church Development (NCD) in the spring of 2013. NCD is a long-term strategic process for progressively improving a church's health. Growing a church, like growing a garden, requires a long-term commitment, which is intentional and consistently addresses the most important issues facing the church at each stage of growth. NCD identifies (and accurately measures) eight quality characteristics that are critical components of the life of healthy, growing churches:

Empowering Leadership

Gift-based Ministry

Passionate Spirituality

Effective Structures

Inspiring Worship Service

Holistic Small Groups

Need-oriented Evangelism

Loving Relationships

Since the spring of 2013, St. Paul’s Cathedral has been focusing on practical ways of addressing Passionate Spirituality, under the banner of “Connect with God. Connect with Others.”. St. Paul’s has a dedicated NCD leadership team and diocesan coaches who are committed to improving the spiritual and physical health of our beloved Cathedral. We invite everyone in our Cathedral family to continue to seek creative and meaningful ways to connect with God and others!

For complete information about the NCD initiative at St. Paul's, email The Rev'd Michael DeKay or call him at (519) 434-3225 x204. Alternatively, you can contact him through the Church Office.

Sundays @ 9

Sundays @ 9 is a 45 minute (9-9:45am) weekly opportunity for youth and adult parishioners to participate in Christian education sessions. Most classes consist of biblical and theological reflection and discussion based on themes of Christian faith and life. Participants are encouraged to discuss and share as we seek to grow in faith together.

Cathedral Life

Communications Team

The St. Paul’s Cathedral Communications Team convened in June 2014 with a mandate to provide support and resources to the Communications Director for the Cathedral, and to assist in the development of short and long term strategies for effective church communication activities (both internally and externally) at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Major goals of the Communications Team include the redesign and implementation of the new St. Paul’s Cathedral website, and development and implementation of a long-term comprehensive Communications Strategy for St. Paul’s.

Evening Women's Group

Times of Fellowship can be enjoyed at the Evening Women’s Group, which meets at 7:00pm on the second Tuesday of each month from September through June. Events include potluck suppers, movie nights, and guest speakers. The group also organizes and hosts the annual Christmas Bazaar and spring Thrift Sale.

For further information please contact Gayle Anderson through the Church Office. We hope you’ll join us!

Men's Breakfasts

All members and guests of St. Paul’s are most welcome to join us for a monthly breakfast. These breakfast gatherings take place at 9:00am on the last Saturday of each month at Riverdale Family Restaurant (360 Springbank Drive). Events are publicized well in advance, so please check the Events page. Despite being called the Men’s Breakfast Club, ladies are most welcome - come along and make some new friends!

If you’re interested in helping out, please contact the Church Office.

Pollination Garden

In 2015 a Pollination Garden was added to the Cathedral grounds, located near the corner of Richmond Street and Queens Avenue. The garden is a haven for our endangered bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, and it is a beautiful way for the Cathedral to fulfill the 5th Mark of Mission which is to 'safeguard the integrity of creation and to sustain and renew the life of the earth'. It is easy to contribute to the Pollination Garden in many different ways. Enjoy some time watching the bees in action. Teach others about pollinators and the plants that sustain them. Help maintain the garden so that it thrives for many years to come.

Social Club

All members and guests of St. Paul's are automatically members of the Social Club, and are most welcome to join in on all of our events. These include Pot Luck dinners, Carol-singing, golf tournaments, board game tournaments and much more. Events are publicized well in advance, so please check the announcements in the bulletin and see Events on the St. Paul’s website and Facebook page.

Come along and make some new friends! If you’re interested in helping to plan events, please contact the Church Office.

Sunday Coffee Group

Do you enjoy baking, or sharing a coffee with a friend? Sunday Coffee hour is a time after the service to meet people in our congregation and make new friends. This time of fellowship is greatly enhanced by the generous donations of baked goods by volunteers. If you are not able to contribute food but would still like to be a part of this ministry, volunteers are also needed to help clean up afterwards.

If you feel led to contribute to the life of the Cathedral by supporting this fun, weekly event, please contact Heather Clark, care of the Church Office.

Tour Guild

Do you have an appreciation for the beauty and history of St. Paul’s Cathedral and a talent for story-telling? Sharing your passion for the Cathedral’s stained glass windows and tapestries, military and local history, art and architecture can help guests and fellow parishioners develop a deeper connection to this place of worship and historic landmark. Consider joining the Tour Guild, where you will learn the history of the fabric and founding people of our Cathedral, so that you can share these stories with others. Tours are scheduled on the first Sunday of each month immediately following the 10:00am service, and on other special occasions as advertised.

Welcoming Ministry

The Welcoming Ministry, or Greeters, invite each person who comes through the doors of St. Paul’s to make themselves at home in God’s house. Providing friendly smiles and handshakes, information about the Anglican style of worship, and directions to the Cathedral facilities, nursery or coffee hour, members of this Ministry work to promote a sense of welcoming and belonging at the Cathedral. Receiving a word of encouragement, reassurance, or a gesture of kindness may be the most significant encounters of some people’s entire church experience.

Please contact the Church Office, to share your faith in this quiet but essential manner.

Community Outreach

Knitting for Peace

Knitting for people in need with donated yarn, patterns and tools, volunteers work in the comfort of their home or, when they can, gather at St. Paul’s from 10:00am-12:00pm on Saturday mornings from September through June for a time of fellowship and to receive knitting advice if they are new to the skill. Squares are made into blankets, and hats, mitts, scarves and other requested items are distributed to various charities including The Fellowship Center at St. Paul's, My Sister's Place, The Salvation Army Center of Hope, The John Howard Society, The Women's Community House and Knitted Knockers of Canada.

PWRDF

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is the Anglican Church of Canada’s agency for sustainable development, relief, refugees, and global justice. With the support of Anglican parishes across Canada, PWRDF makes financial and human resources available to support partners’ initiatives and to promote knowledgeable actions of solidarity at home and around the world.

For more information on their work and how to get involved, please visit their website: http://pwrdf.org/.

St. Paul's Social Services

St. Paul's Social Services

St. Paul's Social Services is a registered charity that provides food and other supports to about 2,000 people each month. The people who come to our food bank or lunch program live with desperately low or no incomes.

Our Food Bank, open 9:30-12:00 Monday to Friday, provides an emergency 3 day food supply to about 1,300 individuals and families each month, 40% of whom are children.
Our Fellowship Centre lunch program is open for drop-in lunches from 11:30 to 12:30 Monday, and Wednesday.
On Tuesdays we prepare, eat and clean-up a meal together with our Breaking Bread Together (BBT) program. BBT runs from 10 – 12:30 and pre-registration is required.

St. Paul’s Social Services is supported almost entirely by London and area churches, individuals and organizations through cash donations, food donations, fresh produce and many, many volunteer hours. For more information, please call our office at 519 434 - 8979.

Operations

Finance Committee

Individuals with corporate, finance or accounting experience are invited to volunteer with the Finance Committee. Members provide informed advice and make recommendations to the Wardens and Rector on the financial health of the parish. Responsibilities include offering suggestions for fundraising activities, reviewing reports and recommendations of auditors, and making recommendations regarding capital expenditures, among others. The committee also monitors the financial performance of the Cathedral during each year, reports monthly to the Parish Council and prepares an annual operating budget for St. Paul’s.

Parish Council

Members of the Parish Council accept a leadership role in the daily affairs of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and represent the wider congregation at monthly meetings. Parish Council serves to join together parishioners to fulfill the mission of the Church, rooted in faith, prayer, and love. It ensures the goals and vision of St. Paul’s Cathedral are carried out, reviews and recommends policy, conducts parish planning, and oversees activities of each parish ministry. Parish Council is responsible for upholding the standards of the Anglican Church while at the same time fostering change and growth in the developing life of St. Paul’s, keeping in mind the needs of the broader community.
7 November 2018 - CROWNS Ministry Model document

Property Committee

Do you have experience in construction or home improvements? Are you interested in the history and fabric of the beautiful building that shelters St. Paul’s Cathedral? Do you have a passion for gardening or landscaping, or puttering around? All of these aspects of our Cathedral fall under the care of the Property Committee here at St. Paul’s. Your time and talents would be greatly appreciated in this group as members work to maintain and improve the facilities at the Cathedral, while also respecting the building’s history.

Please contact the Church Office to find out about meetings and current projects.

Renew the Cathedral Committee

The “Renew the Cathedral – Reach Out, Build Within” campaign is a multi-year extensive renovation of the existing St. Paul’s buildings. The ability to serve all is paramount to fulfilling our mission. With this in mind, the renovation project is focused on five aspects: Accessibility; Improved work areas for St. Paul’s Social Services; Barrier-free washrooms on all levels; Infrastructure updating; and preservation of our heritage.

For more information on this campaign and how to get involved, please contact Bette Ferguson care of the Church Office, and visit the Renew the Cathedral website.

Giving & Donations

Canada Helps - Online Donations

Through this portal, you can easily and securely donate to the following areas at St Paul's:

Offerings & Special Gifts

Offerings
For financial support, St. Paul's depends heavily on the stewardship of the congregation. Parishioners are asked to make an annual financial committment for the work fo the Church in the parish community, the diocese and the world. Parishioners receive Offering Envelopes at the beginning of the year or you can simply go on direct withdrawl from your bank account. Please download the Pre-Approved Giving forms to begin your direct withdrawl offerings using either a Credit Card or Direct Payment. Once completed, drop-off or mail the form and other necessary materials to the Church Office. Annual statements are mailed for income tax purposes.​

Special Gifts
Special gifts can be given by anyone. No gift is too small or too large and may be money, real estate, or in other forms. They may be given in one's lifetime or through a will or estate. All are opportunities to invest in the life of St. Paul's Cathedral, its buildings, and programs. The Dean and Wardens together decide how Special Gifts are spent, keeping in mind the donors' wishes. They would be most pleased to talk to you about your wishes. Contact the Church Office for further information.

Planned Giving

St. Paul's vital community outreach, its vibrant and varied programs, its beautiful building, and its uplifting music - all have been nurtured and sustained through the generous support of many faith-filled women and men who came before us.

We invite you to consider making your own planned gift to St. Paul's as a personal and powerful expression of your gratitude for the grace God has shown you. Your planned gift will demonstrate to future generations that God was central to your life. It will enable you to create your own lasting, living legacy, one that meaningfully reflects your faith and your values, to support the future life, mission and ministry of St. Paul's Cathedral for your children and grandchildren, your community, and your world.